Meant to be
by Skarleth
Summary: James never understood why Liy hated him so much, but some people are just meant to be together.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: None of the characters are mine etc

Chapter 1 – So Near and Yet So Far 

Lily could feel his eyes on her, but did not look up from her book. She knew what she would see if she did, those dark eyes that could look so gentle or savage surrounded by locks of silky black hair which stuck up on the back of his head.

"Oy, James, are you coming or not?" yelled Sirius from across the room. Lily lifted her eyes in time to see James' eyes leaving her face. She ran her fingers through her curly auburn hair and sighed slightly to herself. She knew that James would never like her in that way. "What's the matter with you, you look really glum" commented Helen "Is it James again?"

"I'm just so confused," replied Lily, "I'm just his geeky charms partner, he will never look at me in that way!"

"Oh Lily, you just need to get over him! He's not worth it, he swans round the school as if he owns the place, and he's horrible to poor Severus!"

Lily was still in the common room working in the dim glow of the firelight when James got back with Sirius. They couldn't see her; she was buried underneath mountains of books in an armchair. "Wasn't that amazing!" Sirius yelped.

"Keep it down!" said James "we don't want McGonagall in here again"

"Who cares, what's with you tonight, you've been acting really weird." Answered Remus who just entered and closed the door behind him. Lily didn't dare to breath she couldn't bare to be discovered by the marauders; they would never let her live it down. They came into her line of vision and sat down round a table, a pile of books obscured her but she could just make out their outlines and the shadows they cast round the room. They were whispering together, something important but she could not quite here, and gradually the warmth of the firelight and the heaviness of her eyes swept her away into a sleepy oblivion.

She woke up a few minutes later to heightened voices, obviously what they were talking about now was not as secret. "You have got to be kidding," laughed Sirius derisively. "Yeah, yeah I am" replied James but there was a tone to his voice that suggested that this was not quite true. "Come on, she's not that bad!" said Remus heatedly. Lily's eyes sparkled with curiosity eager to know more. "Come on!! Lily Evans, even Peter could do better than that, the glasses! The braces!!!" Lily's eyes widened in shock and her skin turned icy, how could they talk about her like this. She began to shake, trying to hold back tears. Eventually after what seemed an age, they left to go to bed. Lily sobbed into her hands as though her heart would break. The only one to defend her was Remus, not James.

The next morning Lily woke up fully clothed in bed, her eyes were still swollen. The first thing she did was to go to Helen for help. A few hours later, after quite a bit of patience from Helen she was transformed. Rather than a mass of curly hair that just refused to be tamed, Helen, by some miracle and a little magic serum a mass of silky hair hung down her shoulders, free of frizz and sparkling with health. Helen had replaced her glasses with contact and her emerald eyes peeped out between dark lashes. Her braces were gone and magically reduced teeth smiled out. "Wow, I am so good" marvelled Helen.

"I can't believe you did this!" sighed Lily with happiness, "thank you so much!"

Together they went down to a late breakfast, everyone had gone to watch the Quiditch match and had eaten early so there was no one to stare at the new Lily.

Lily was terrified of trying out her new look, but Helen forced her down to the pitch to see the end of the match. James was playing as seeker, it was the second to last game of the season and beats were going against Gryffindor. At first no one seemed to notice that they had slipped in, but slowly heads began to turn to look at Lily. She wasn't an ordinary beauty, she stood out from the crowds with red hair that shone and pale skin. She wasn't tall and looked fragile, like a small bird. Gradually a small group of Slytherins made there way to where Lily and Helen were sitting. It was Lucius and his gang. "Don't look up," whispered Helen, "someone's coming over."

Lucius was a few years older than them, and had a reputation for bringing trouble wherever he went, in a more refined and calculated way than the marauders. He was handsome, tall, blonde and quite charming, the rest of the group left him as he approached them. "Hey, I'm Lucius" he said softly sitting down beside her.

"Lily" she replied "and this is my friend Helen."

"Have you seen much of the match so far? It's a good one."

"No actually, we just came in, who's winning?" Lily said secretly hoping that it was Gryffindor and not Hufflepuff. Lucius replied outlining some of the details of the game. The teams were neck and neck; it was down to the seekers. "I have a question" said Lucius smoothly "There is a dance tonight, I know it's a bit short notice but would you like to go?"

"With you?" Lucius inclined his head slightly, "yes, I'd love to where is it?"

"Fantastic, I'll meet you at the entrance to the great hall, see you there" He replied and slipped away.

Lily stood on the stairs to the entrance hall trembling slightly, what if he didn't show up? After a few more moments he appeared, looking very dashing in his dress robes, which were of the finest quality. He took her hand gently "Well, its this way" he said and led her downstairs. The hall was decorated with white lights; Lily had no idea what they were celebrating. Lucius led her out onto the dance floor, it was the first time she had ever danced with anyone, and she had always thought her partner would be James.

James had not really wanted to come to the party, he did not have Sirius's appetite for free food and girls but he couldn't let his friend come alone. He expected to end the night sitting in some corner hiding from the girls who so regularly trailed round school after him. Sirius went on ahead of him, intently looking for some girl from Ravenclaw. James let his eyes wander around the room. Lucius was dancing with the most beautiful girl, but he did not recognise her until she turned her head, laughing at some joke. He couldn't believe his eyes, Lily, his Lily was dancing with Lucius Malfoy, she had done something to her hair and her teeth, he had never realised how her eyes danced when she smiled. She saw him eventually and blushed, her eyes flashed with anger, but he didn't understand why. Lucius eventually left her side to get drinks, so James made a move. "Hey Lily, I didn't know you were coming here." He said trying to make the look in her eyes disappear. "Oh, well, I suppose you wouldn't have come if you had know" She replied icily.

"What do you mean?" James asked.

"Just leave me alone Potter," she said without even looking at him, he had hurt her so much; she couldn't stand the sight of him.

Lucius returned with two glasses of pumpkin juice and a fierce glint in his eye. He and James had never got along so to speak. "You heard her Potter, she doesn't want to talk to you," He said aggressively. Lily still did not look at him. Defeated James shrugged. Lucius turned back to the dancing with Lily on his arm, but as they walked away Lily stole a glance at James' face. He held her stare with a hurt look in his eye as she walked away.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – All Is Not Lost

As the days went by Lily saw more and more of Lucius and a change swept over the 4th years at Hogwart's. Lily Evans was no longer someone to be ignored. People who before had just looked scathingly over her head began to stop and talk to her in the corridors. The charms club had never been more popular and no one dared call her names anymore. Lucius and his motley crew had a kind of dark glamour within the castle, an air or mystique. Lucius was now barely ever seen without Lily near him or on his arm. As she got to know him better, Lily liked him more and more, but she still compared his charms and manners to James' complete disregard for either.

"So are you going to the Quiditch match on Saturday," questioned Lucius lightly kissing the top of her head. They were nestled in an armchair in the Slytherin common room discussing the upcoming match. "I have to support Gryffindor you know," replied Lily absentmindedly turning her teacup into a toad. "

I know, but you will watch for me, won't you?" Lucius was playing as chaser for Slytherin, it was not his first game, but he still wanted Lily watching out for him, rather than James Potter. He had never felt this way about a girl before; he wanted to protect her and keep her by him constantly, away from James Potter. Lily denied it but he knew that she had feelings for James, the thought of which made him more than a little nervous. "Of course, I know you will score lots of goals. I'm sorry but I've got to go now, Snape wants to see me, he is helping me with potions." Lucius lifted his arms and Lily clambered out of the armchair, "I'll see you for dinner right?" he asked.

"I think so," Lily replied whilst leaning over to peck him on the cheek before she rushed off.

Meanwhile James had not been so lucky in love. Brooding did not become him, besides Sirius was wonderfully oblivious to how he felt about Lily and he couldn't tell him, not yet anyway. Remus seemed to have some idea of how he felt as a vague little knowing smile always crossed his face when he saw James staring off into the distance. And Peter, well Peter was spending most of his time in remedial potions and transfiguration. Rather than spend time moping, he devoted himself to Quiditch, ideas of winning the cup revolved around winning Lily back. Lucius was a nasty piece of work and Lily would find out sooner or later, but for now he was content to wait and prove himself to her.

James was not the only one trying to spilt up Hogwart's new golden couple. Narcissa Black was one of them. She was related to Sirius but they were poles apart and despised one another. At school they tended to disdainfully ignore each other, but once in a while they would have a fight and it generally got very ugly. Years ago her family had mentioned a possible blood match with the Malfoys and ever since she had thought of Lucius as her own and she had more efficient ways to break up a couple than James. "So where is _dear_ Lily at the moment?" questioned Narcissa sliding into the seat Lily had vacated earlier. Lucius shifted in his seat to increase the distance between them. "She's with Snape, something to do with potions, he's helping her out," Lucius shrugged hoping to keep this conversation short.

"Oh" said Narcissa sounding surprised "are you sure that that is all they are doing? You know Severus, you can't trust a half blood" Narcissa added maliciously.

"What have you heard?" Asked Lucius quietly, hating himself for questioning Lily, but at the same time curious Snape had a dark side, he more than anyone else knew that. "Well," Narcissa leaned in, possibly to add dramatic emphasis thought Lucius "I heard that they were, getting very close in the potions lab, now I know that Snape likes her, I heard him talking about her to Notte."

"Yes, I'm interested, what did he say?"

"Just that, she was clever and pretty etc, I don't know, she's not really that pretty but, anyway he doesn't seem to think that she is that into you." Finished Narcissa with a smile "I've got to go, come to me if you need to talk, bye"

Lucius looked in disbelief at her retreating back; he had some serious thinking to do.

It wasn't often that Narcissa was right, but this time she had hit upon something. Snape did liked Lily, completely and desperately he always had. She was the only one who had talked to him as an equal and she shared his love of potion making. However Lily was completely oblivious of all the unwonted attention she was receiving. "Oh my god," she huffed, finally returning to the common room after a long day of charms, DADA, potions and Lucius. "How are you, it feels like I haven't seen you for ages" she asked Helen. "Well funny you should say that" replied Helen "because you haven't seen me at all, ever since you got with Lucius you've had no time for your friends!"

"Really, is it that bad?" Lily paused "I'm sorry, its just Lucius takes up so much time, he just likes to be with me."

"It's alright, I'd just like to see you once in a while"

"You will, do you want to go with the Quiditch match with me, we could make a whole day of it?" Asked Lily.

"Lucius won't mind"

"No! At least I don't think so."

They giggled as fellow conspirators

Over the few days, Lily had softened towards James, he hadn't tried to talk to her but went around wearing a hurt look on his face, and no matter what he said or hadn't said he was still her James, it was a definite struggle to think of Lucius rather than him. They had exchanged a few words in the corridor and he had made her laugh with his impression of himself falling off his broom, he had briefly touched her on her arm, a sort of reconciliatory gesture, and she still felt a tingle when she thought about it, which more often that she would have liked to admit. The day before the Quiditch match, temper were getting the best of people and fights broke out between Gryffindors and Slytherins, but this was all normal in the run up to a big match. The difference was Lucius Malfoy's absence from the violence or at least his appearance of peace, however his actions proved quite the opposite when Lily was not around to see. James bore the brunt of his temper, as Lucius had seen them in the corridor, and could feel that he was losing Lily. She had become distant and no longer kissed with the same passion.

"So what's Lucius really like?? You know is he really as bad as they say?" asked Helen when she and Lily were snuggled up in their dorm rooms the night before the match. "It's hard to say, he is so sweet to me, he sends me flowers almost every day, and he stops people being mean to me, some Slytherin girl in his year barged into me deliberately and hexed me so I couldn't stop falling over, well Lucius did something to her; she came and apologised!!!!"

"I don't know about him, I've heard some really dodgy rumours…"

"Go on," replied Lily curiously

"You know the bruises that James has been getting at the moment?"

"Yeah, he keeps practising beating with Sirius, only he's not too good at it," said Lily smiling. "No, that's not it, Lucius keeps jinxing him in the corridors"

"Don't be silly, why would he do that, he wouldn't jinx any of my friends!"

"What about Severus, haven't you wondered why you haven't seen him for a while?"

"What do you mean?" said Lily shrilly.

"Don't ask me, ask Lucius"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 – Everything is not ok

Lily did not sleep that night; she lay tossing and turning, the information torturing her troubled mind. Suddenly she sat up and went down to the common room for a warm drink by the fire. To her surprise she was not the only one down there. A figure was standing by the mantle place watching the flickering of the flames. Lily was torn between a desire to go back upstairs and a hot drink. Pumpkin juice won in the end and she deliberately clumped down the last few stairs to warn the mysterious figure that there was someone coming. Yet when she entered the common room there was no one there. "Hello?" Lily called out uncertainly. She heard a rustle of fabric coming from the far corner of the room. Then James' head poked out from behind a massive armchair, which was covered in a rather obscene floral print. "Oh, Lily, it's only you" said James, he sounded relieved. "Who did you think it would be," asked Lily.

"It's not important," replied James vaguely dodging the question. Lily raised her eyebrow but did not ask again. Instead she slumped into one of the armchairs near the fire. "So what are you doing down here?"

"I could ask you the same question," said James, and her sat down in an armchair next to her. "Yes, but I asked you first!" replied Lily coyly leaning her head to one side and flicking her flaming hair out of the way. "I couldn't sleep, nervous I suppose," he shrugged as if it was no importance. As he turned his head towards hers, Lily caught sight of an ugly looking bruise running down the side of his face "James!" she squeaked, "what have you done to your face?" She reached over and touched the bruise with her fingertips, marvelling as the deep purple colouring that surrounded his eyes; James flinched slightly. "Does it hurt?" questioned Lily.

"Yes, but don't stop." He said with a sad little smile.

"James, who is doing this to you, everyday you appear with more scrapes and bruises!" Lily's emerald eyes stared intently into his soft brown ones.

"Lily!" sighed James "you really don't want to know, it doesn't matter, once the Quiditch match is over it will stop." He clasped her warm hand in his for a second then let go abruptly "thank you though, for asking."

"Is it Lucius" persisted Lily, timidly looking up at him through thick eyelashes. He stared at her in shock. "How do you know?"

"Helen told me, you should have done, I could have stopped it."

"I don't need you to intervene, this is my battle, and you don't seem to realise that if you play with fire, you might get burned." James got up abruptly and stalked up to the boy's dormitory, he paused on the stairs when her heard a muffled sob coming from the common room but turned away.

Lily woke early the next day and got ready for the last match of the season. She wanted to look breathtaking and realised that this could take some time and a lot of patience. Finally she entered the Great Hall and scanned the tables for James and then Lucius. James was looking expectantly at her but she ignored his gaze and headed for the Slytherin table. The sea of pupils parted to make way for her and she arrived without any mishaps at Lucius' side. He had already eaten, but was pale, paler than normal. "How are you feeling," she asked.

"Not wonderful," replied Lucius grimacing slightly.

"I didn't know you were the nervous type" commented Lily, thinking that there was quite a lot that she did not know about him, and it scared her. "We need to talk, in private."

"Can it wait until after the game," replied Lucius.

"No it can't." Lily led him out the hall, to the sound of wolf whistles from the Slytherin table. She deliberately avoided looking at James.

When they reached a deserted corridor she stopped and turned to face Lucius who immediately kissed her on the lips, taking advantage of her surprise he carried on. Irritated, Lily pushed him away "Lucius this is serious," He smirked a little but did not kiss her again. "Why do you keep beating James up?" The grin disappeared rapidly.

"What?" he said harshly with a hint of panic in his voice.

"You heard me, why? He hasn't done anything to you!"

"Alls fair in love and war!" he replied heatedly.

"But Lucius, this isn't love and war!!" said Lily exasperated.

"I know how you feel about him, I can see it in the way you look at him, it's in your eyes." Lily backed off slightly towards the wall, feeling slightly frightened, she had never seen him lose it like this before. "You can't just go round and beat up my friends, I thought you trusted me!" Lucius came up to her against the wall and pinned her there with his muscular arms, they were so close, she could feel his breath on her face and hear his heart beating wildly. "You know what Lucius, this isn't working out, I don't want to see you anymore." It took immense courage to say that whilst pinioned to the wall but Lily managed. Lucius went mad with rage "You can't do this, don't you know who I am, you filthy little mudblood!"

"Get off her!" yelled a voice that sounded strangely familiar a red jet of light flew past narrowly missing Lucius' head. "James!" cried Lily "I don't need your help!"

"Well you could have fooled me!" as soon as the words left his mouth Lily raised her fist and hit Lucius hard across the face, he was not expecting it, still staring at James expecting another curse. Seizing the opportunity Lily ran down the corridor, away from James and Lucius.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 – In the End 

Without pausing to think, James sprinted down the corridor after Lily, punching Lucius in the stomach as he ran past. Lily was not a fast runner, she never had been so James quickly caught up with her and grabbed her arm "Lily, listen to me!" He panted

"No James, I'm fed up of you, and Lucius, you are both the same! All you ever do is make me miserable or treat me like an object, some lesser being!" She was shouting now, weeks of pent up frustration came out in her rant against James.

"I'm nothing like Lucius, how come you hate me so much all of a sudden, we used to be friends!" James returned equally angry now, his face was tinged with pink. The gong went to signal preparation of the long awaited Quiditch match; James was torn between staying to fight with Lily or going to the game. "You really don't know!" laughed Lily derisively "I heard you, that night in the common room! You agreed with Sirius – "the glasses, the braces" you didn't even defend me!"

"Lily, I'm sorry, I didn't realise you were there!" James pleaded, lowering his voice, but Lily was still fuming "What! So you will only insult me behind my back, how kind of you."

"Lily, I …"

"Just go, go!" Lily turned away to hide the tears that were creeping into her eyes. Defeated James turned away and headed resolutely for the Quiditch pitch, at least there was something he could do to impress her, and if Lucius got in the way then so much worse for him.

The game had started in full when Lily joined the crowd, she had dried her eyes and had hoped to sit unnoticed at the back, this however was impossible, she was jostled towards the front by excited crowds who thought that Lucius would want his girlfriend to see him play, new of their break up had not leaked around the school just yet. James hovered high above the match on his broom, scanning the skies for signs of the snitch; Lucius was hovering below him looking for a face amongst the crowds rather than the snitch. James drew his eyes away from Lucius and almost immediately caught sight of a glint of gold hovering by the Slytherin goal posts; he dived loving every moment of it, the wind on his face and the sense of control. He glanced behind him and saw Lucius close on his tail, he put on an extra burst of speed and chased the snitch through the raised bats of the beaters, he just saw Sirius grin at him. He reached out and felt the snitch flutter between his outstretched fingers; he closed them and pulled out of the dive triumphantly. However rather than fly down to the pitch where he would be met by cheering Gryffindors he circled higher and pulled out his wand, his word were lost in the wind as he enchanted his broom. Red sparks began to fly out of the end and James began to fly, the sparks acted like fireworks. He circled, flying in intricate shapes until the red smoke left by his broomstick read "Lily forgive me".

After seeing the sign in the air, all the anger she had previously felt vanished, she rushed out of the stands and onto the pitch, eyes blazing. She shoved past Lucius who was walking towards her and ran into James arms. He looked down at her and she felt his hands clutch the small of her back, "Go on, Evans, go out with me!" he said, a grin plastered over his face. Lily did not reply, but pressed her lips onto his in a soft kiss. He kissed her roughly back and lifted her of her feet. However this did not last long, there was a flash of light and James fell to the floor, stunned. Lily whirled round astonished, but coming face to face with Lucius the surprised look vanished from her face. "Leave it Lucius, we're over!" she whipped out her wand with alarming speed and pointed it at Lucius' throat. There was another bang and Lucius retreated back, clutching his face, which had turned an unnatural orange colour and was in the process of sprouting what looked like small potato shoots. Lily turned away, repulsed at his face and character, she held out a hand to James, who was coming round, and helped him up. Together they walked away from the jeering Slytherins and the ecstatic Gryffindors and went for a long walk. James hand was wrapped tightly in hers, their fingers interlinked, and Lily knew that they would stay this way, it was just meant to be.


End file.
